Why child dreams are not typical of the Child Archetype? It maybe because the Child Archetype has many qualities and some of these are in pairs of opposite poles.
Everyone may dream of a child or children, because the child is a symbol and it is in the common pool of symbols that every human can dream about. The child is such a stereotype that it is “craved in stone” in fairytales, fables and all manner of traditional stories. Jung said, “The child motif represents the preconscious, childhood aspect of the collective psyche.” (Jung, p. 161).
The Child is a many varied Archetype. You see behaviors of a Good child and Naughty child when it decides to show its temperament. If you’ve been a parent, you’ll have seen how a child displays various behaviors in different situations. The young child is already in possession of intellect to help it decide what behavior to display in specific circumstance.
There are two faces to every coin. There is a good face and naughty one. The obedient child may decide to rebel and show its will. Is there any use in describing the child as an archetype? They, who can not be defined, is also pigeon holed into a classification called child archetype.
The Holy Child embodies all the good traits like obedience, filial piety, and learning of knowledge. This Child is an icon. Every proud parent would like their child to exhibit good traits and dream that their child is angelic in nature. However, not every parent has learned how to dream up stuff they desire to see.
Reference
Jung, C. G. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconsciousness. Princeton University Press: New York.
